One of the things about the new Lion Den site is that playful illustration you see at the top of the home page.

I call it Lion Den Anatomy Lesson and it's the creation of renowned illustrator Joe Kulka.

I first became aware of Joe's work when he did a series of small portraits of important scientists for one of my textbooks. Then he created some whimsical and engaging covers for the two editions of my book Survival Guide for Anatomy & Physiology.

Even if you haven't heard of Joe before, or haven't seen those Survival Guide book covers, you've probably seen his illustrations. He's an award-winning children's book author and has created illustrations for many popular publishers, books, and projects. For example, you've seen Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl, right?

When I recently undertook the complete rebuilding of the Lion Den website, with it's refocusing on the learning and teaching of human anatomy and physiology, I knew I needed a dramatic illustration to serve as the "first impression" for visitors. It dawned on me that Joe's Survival Guide book covers are not only visually appealing, but also tell a story in a playful way. And that playful tone is exactly what I want to project in the Lion Den website.

So I asked Joe if he could find some time in his busy schedule to create an image for my website. And he did!

I love the story Lion Den Anatomy Lesson tells. It shows a lion teaching an anatomy lesson. But if you look closely, you'll see that the labels on the muscle chart list meals—not muscle names. It's a playful take on the role of lions as predators. But in doing so, ties the "lion" identity of the website to it's "anatomy" content. Notice also that the lion "student" on the left, the one licking his lips in anticipation of a meal, reflects the lion featured in the Lion Denwebsite's logo photograph.

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About Me

I've worked as an anatomy & physiology professor for several decades, having taught at high school, community college, and university levels. I write A&P textbooks and manuals. I am a President Emeritus of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) and a founder of HAPS Institute, a continuing education program for A&P professors. I have several blogs and websites related to teaching and learning. And in my youth I was a wild animal trainer.